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Monday, 6 May 2013

#CountryKids 50 Things to Do Part 2 at Sizergh Castle #50Things

We had so much fun at Sizergh Castle on Saturday doing some of the 50 things to do before you are 11 3/4 that we went back to do more today! This time we roped in the grandparents as we hoped to try out geocaching. The car park was a lot busier than Saturday but it still didn't feel too crowded. We had a big problem though that the geocaching was so new no-one on duty knew anything about it... Turns out they were road testing it over the weekend and hadn't yet trained the rest of the staff and volunteers.So plan B and we decided to head up to St John's Helsington church as there were a few other activities to do there. I had bought one of the new waterproof maps with walking, cycling and running routes but discovered the children had shot off on the reverse of the official route! Oh well it was a nice easy walk across the fields:

We fairly soon came across the first of the 50 things signs which was visit a farm. This is something we have done in the past so we didn't linger but did say hello to the locals:

Then it was time to walk up a woody path past many spring flowers and smelling of wild garlic:

We passed the farm house and saw swallows flying overhead was a lovely sight but too fast to capture on camera! Then we had a bite to eat on a wide grassy area next to the path before carrying on to the top of the ridge:

And the challenge we had been looking for:

I advised the children to but on their waterproof jackets and for my daughter to just stick to leggings not the over shorts to try it out. Then with me at the bottom and the grandparents at the top they just kept on rolling:

It really shows how much fun children can have doing something so simple! I love my son's face at the very end of the sequence.

To recover we went into the church as we knew from experience that it was free tea and coffee on bank holiday Monday! It was a chance to enjoy the beautiful stained glass before going out to explore the church yard:

Hard work reading gravestones

Graveyard with a view

The ridge in front of the church is also a recommended spot to stargaze as another 50 activity. Grandad will be bringing my daughter back to do this! We then headed back to the castle, most of us took the long gentle descent whilst my daughter decided going back the way we had come was the best. The rest of us got to see possible chances for for more 50 activities as well as lots of lovely lambs:

When we got back to the castle my dad had used his phone to discover some geocache info for the site. So whilst eating ice cream everyone had to try and work out the co-ordinates using clues based on counting pillars etc on the front of the visitors' centre! At this point I had to disappear to run home but the rest of them headed off to hunt for geocaches (they found 2!). Another 50 things activity ticked off was making a trail using sticks.

It does look like my daughter has mostly finished the list now with only really wild camping and building a raft as big activities to do! I love the fact that virtually all the activities can be done at no cost which makes them accessible to all. I look forward to helping my children complete the list. Watch this space!

4 comments:

That's great that you have signposts for the 50 things! They are always in the back of my head when I think of things to do with my wee man. At just 2 thankfully we have a bit of time to get through them :) He likes running down hills but is a bit nervous to roll at the minute!